NJ Transit will now offer four new, roundtrip express trains to beach towns in Monmouth County Saturdays, Sundays and holidays, through Labor Day, without having to switch trains.

The new express service will serve New York Penn Station, Secaucus Junction, Newark Penn Station, Elizabeth, Rahway, Aberdeen-Matawan, Red Bank, Long Branch, Asbury Park and then all station stops to Bay Head, without having to change trains in Long Branch. A travel time-savings of approximately 25 minutes is expected from the normal travel time between New York and stations such as Belmar and Manasquan.

Seating will be limited aboard the new express service, with customers strongly encouraged to purchase round trip tickets or beach packages (a savings of $6.50 off the cost of rail service and beach admission) prior to the start of their trip.

NJ Transit tickets and beach packages are available at ticket windows and ticket vending machines.

A 2013 study, conducted by NJ Transit and Rutgers University, found that 60 percent of riders who visited the Jersey Shore by train said that they had no other means to make the trip. Other riders said that the train was more convenient and that it was a way to avoid traffic congestion.

“According to the study, Monmouth County is the most popular destination for weekend visitors and the majority of the visitors are coming for day trips,” said Freeholder Thomas A. Arnone, liaison to the Department of Public Information & Tourism who is a board member of the New Jersey Transportation Planning Authority. “These riders are spending between $14 million and $16 million during summer weekends and deserve a fast, convenient way to get to and from the Shore. The new express trains offer convenience to our beachgoers with early morning and late night timeframes.”